Golf

Mike Smith rattled in a 40-foot birdie putt from off the fringe of the par-4 10th hole of the Ponte Vedra Inn and Club Ocean Course on Tuesday and went on to win the Gate Petroleum PGA Invitational by one shot over Matthew Salane.

Amateurs are dominating the leaderboard entering the final round of the Gate Petroleum PGA Invitational but the one professional who’s closest to the top has recent experience in winning the tournament.

Mike Smith took an aggressive game plan to the short, testy par-70 Ponte Vedra Inn and Club Lagoon Course on Sunday and then took a two-shot lead in the first round of the Gate Invitational with a 5-under-par 65.

Jumbo Shrimp

The elite pitching performance by Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp starting pitchers came to an end Monday night when Joe Gunkel was hit hard and often by Mississippi Braves batters. The previous four Shrimp starters in the Mississippi series had combined to allow allowed just two earned runs over 24 innings while striking out 26.